The new president of Devizes Rotary Club has thanked the community for a good start to his year in office after £2,000 was raised at Devizes Beer Festival.

Tom MacMeekin’s links with Rotary go back to his native America, when he was with the Ongar Club in New England.

He was born in New England but has a dual passport. He spent three years in India with the American Peace Corps teaching agriculture.

In 1981 he became a minister for the United Reformed Church and was minister of St Andrew’s Church in Devizes and The Trinity Church in Market Lavington. He now serves as chaplain to the Air Training Corps in Devizes.

He said he was very keen to serve the community of Devizes during his year as president and thanked those who bought chilli wraps served by Rotary members at Devizes Beer Festival earlier this month, which yielded a good profit.